What should be behind the paywall?

Something with a reason to be recurring. Access, community and the material too niche for the public feed all work. More of the same free content does not, because it competes with the free version for the same attention.

Can I take my members with me?

Their addresses usually, their subscriptions rarely, because the billing relationship belongs to the platform and has to be rebuilt with each person agreeing again. Expect real attrition in any move, and choose accordingly the first time.

Two or three. Every tier is a decision you are asking somebody to make and a set of rewards you then have to keep producing. Most revenue arrives at the middle tier, and the top one mainly exists to make the middle look reasonable.

Best Membership and Subscription Platforms for Creators 2026

Recurring revenue from people who want more than the free feed.

19 tools in this category.

Recurring revenue changes the work: instead of selling something once you owe something regularly, and the platform you pick decides how much of that is yours. The questions worth asking are what share it keeps, whether members can be contacted outside it, and what happens to the list if you leave.